Toy



y 1946. K. w. JHNSON 2,399,636

TOY

Filed Feb. 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor May 7, 1946. K. w. JOHNSON I TOY Filed Feb. 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor g W W M M Mm Patentcd May 7, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'ror Keith Whitaker Johnson, Washington, D. 0.

Application February 6,1945, Serial No. 576,402

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvementsin toys, the principal object in view being to provide a simple form of inexpensive device for developing and arousing interest in children, more particularly, in passing a ball through a target, and which has the added advantage of producing a noise each time the ball passes through the get, which tends, especially where children are concerned, to encourage a player to develop a certain amount of skill with the toy.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements,.will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claim are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

first to Figures 1 and 2, my improved toy. in the preferred embodiment illustrated, comprises a P ddle including a preferably fiat handle 2, of suitable width to prevent the same from twisting in the hand, and an enlarged blade 3 with a preferably semi-circular outer end 4 audit. ch-

cular opening 5 therein preferably concentric to said end 4 and forming tie target. A cord 6.

preferably of rubber, although not necessarily, is

fixed at one end to the end 4 with a ball I on the other end, preferably of rubber, and sufficiently smaller than the opening 5 to be readily passed therethrough. The end of thecord O fixed to said end 4 is preferably tied, as at 8, in a transverse groove 8 in said end 4preferab1y in the longitudinal center of the paddle I so that the preferably. but not necessarily,formed of a pair of opposed. like sections "1 ll ofany light.

tic.

A noise-making device is incorporated in the paddle I, and which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises an insert I! of resilient, flexible material. such a Celluloid, or the like, preferably of the same shape and size as the paddle l and which is inter sed between the sections III, II, said sections and the insert bein joined together in any suitable manner. The insert I2 is formed with spaced-apart tabs l3 extendinginto the opening 5 at. one side thereof and forming upper teeth therein for the mouth simulated by said opening 8. said insert being also provided with'fins i4 opposite to tabs is spaced apart in the opening 5 upon opposite side of the roove 9 and arranged to represent lower teeth in the mouth simulated by the opening 5. The spacing of the fins l4 provides for the cord 8 passing between said fins to opposite sides of said' opening 5. The fins l4 incline toward the space l4 between the same to cam the cord into saidspace when it is extended through th open- 8 In using the described tor. the ball I is flipped back and forth by manipulation of the paddle I and jerked by the cord toward the paddle to pass the'ball 1 through the opening 5. In its passage through said opening 5, the ball I flexes the tabs i3 and fins l4 and-impacts the same with a noise effect resembling a snapping noise, and said tabs l3 and fin i4 react and reassume normal ositions in the plane of the opening 5.

In the modified embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the paddle I5 is provided with a substantially annular enlarged end It, and is formed in one piece. The noisemaking device has the form of a disc I! suitably fixed to one side of said end it and'provided with a substantially star-shaped opening l8 forming tapered fins l9 in the end l6 which function in the same manner as the tabs l3 and fins l4, as regards noise effect. The opening I8 is extended through the disc I! between two adjoining-fins I! to the edge of the disc I! in line with a groove 20 in said end l8, corresponding in function to the groove 8 of the preferred embodiment of the invention, and to form a space l8 between said fins corresponding in function to the space H. Thus, provision is made for the cord 2| passing through the end I! of the paddle I! from side to side thereof.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figure- 5, the noise-making device has the form of a disc 12 similar to disc I I but prostrong. inexpensive material for instance, plasvided with elongated tabs 23, some of different lengths than others, grouped part way around.

the opening 24 in said disc, said opening being extended through to the edge of the disc 22 to provide a space 24' for the same purpose as described with reference to the disc l'l. The disc 22 is designed to be used in lieu of the disc H to produce a lessaudible sound effect.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufflce to impart a clear understanding of my invention with out further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, a described, is sus-- ceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a toy, a paddle provided with a target-form aaeaoso ing circular opening in one end thereof, a cord attached at one end to said paddle adjacent said opening, a ball on the other end of said cord smaller than said opening and adapted to be flipped through the opening from side to side of the same by'manipulation of the paddle to exert a pull on the cord, and noise-making means in said opening yieldingly obstructing assage of the ball through said opening to produce a. sound eflect, said noise-making device comprising spaced-apart tabs on one side of said opening, and a pair of fins on the opposite side of said opening, said tabs and fins being of resilient flexible material and said fins being spaced apart to permit the cord to pass between the same a the ball is flipped from side to side of said opening. KEITH WHITAKER JOHNSON. 

